School boards for three of Washington state’s major public school systems have formally authorized legal counsel to prepare a constitutional lawsuit against the State of Washington, alleging that the Legislature is violating its paramount constitutional duty by failing to fully fund basic education.
Lake Washington represents a fast-growing King County suburban system of 30,000 students, Tacoma educates 28,000 students in Pierce County’s urban industrial core, and Yakima serves 16,000 students in the agricultural center of Central Washington.
When legislative leaders subsequently delayed funding implementation, the Supreme Court took the extraordinary step of holding the state in contempt in 2014, eventually levying unprecedented judicial sanctions of $100,000 per day against the state treasury.
Under current Washington statutory limits codified in RCW 28A.150.392, the state caps its special education funding multiplier at 16 percent of a district’s total student enrollment.
When local communities reject ballot measures, districts have no alternative funding source to repair aging roofs, upgrade ventilation systems, or preserve support staff.
School boards for Lake Washington, Tacoma, and Yakima pass resolutions to sue Washington State under Article IX, alleging an $800 million annual shortfall forces illegal reliance on local levies.